Program control apparatus

Claim 2

A program control apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a central longitudinal axis, means defining a plurality of cam surfaces extending in generally circular paths around the circumference of the drum, and a plurality of cam follower means engageable with the cam surfaces for carrying out a program in accordance with the configuration of said cam surfaces, said cam surface defining means including a plurality of individual ring members slidably and removably supported on the surface of the drum, each of said ring members including a radially outwardly projecting flange of initially uniform and initially continuous cross section formed of a material being selectively removable at any desired region to form a recess of any desired length in the flange.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, each said ring member including a base having a smaller outside diameter and a larger axial length than said flange portion, the bases of adjacent ring members abutting one another to provide uniform spacing between the cam surfaces when the ring members are stacked.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, said base and said flange of each ring member being made of plastic material.

Claim 5

A program control apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a central longitudinal axis, means defining a plurality of cam surfaces extending in generally circular paths around the circumference of the drum, and a plurality of cam follower means engageable with the cam surfaces for carrying out a program in accordance with the configuration of said cam surfaces, said cam surface defining means including a plurality of individual ring members slidably and removably supported on the surface of the drum, each of said ring members including a radially outwardly projecting flange of initially uniform and continuous cross section formed of a material being selectively removable to form a recess in the flange, each said ring member including a base having a smaller outside diameter and a larger axial length than said flange portion, the bases of said ring members providing uniform spacing between the cam surfaces when the ring members are stacked and indicia on the peripheral surface of each said base adjacent said flange to serve as a guide in the removal of the flange material.

Claim 6

A program control apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a central longitudinal axis, means defining a plurality of cam surfaces extending in generally circular paths around the circumference of the drum, and a plurality of cam follower means engageable with the cam surfaces for carrying out a program in accordance with the configuration of said cam surfaces, said cam surface defining means including a plurality of individual ring members slidably and removably supported on the surface of the drum, each of said ring members including a radially outwardly projecting flange of initially uniform and continuous cross section formed of a material being selectively removable to form a recess in the flange, each said ring member including a base having a smaller outside diameter and a larger axial length than said flange portion, the bases of said ring members providing uniform spacing between the cam surfaces when the ring members are stacked and indicia on the peripheral surface of each said base adjacent said flange to serve as a guide in the removal of the flange material.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4, having further indicia on said flange related to said first-mentioned indicia.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3, a radially inwardly directed projection on each said ring member, and a groove in the surface of said drum receiving said projections for holding said cam rings against rotation.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1, said ring members having an inside diameter slightly greater than the drum diameter and being slidably received thereon.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1, said drum having spaced elongated axially extending gear teeth defined on its surface, and said ring members having inside diameters substantially larger than the diameter of the drum, and each ring member having spaced inwardly directed gear teeth engageable with said drum gear teeth.

Claim 11

A program control apparatus comprising a support having a wall portion, an opening in said wall portion, a rotatable programming drum having axial opening means defined therethrough and having cam means supported on its surface, a support shaft adapted to extend through said axial opening means rotatably to support said drum, said shaft having an end portion engageable with said opening to provide a single point support for said shaft for mounting said drum in a location projecting from said wall portion, drive means mounted on said support for rotating said drum, and control means mounted on said support and engageable with said cam means for carrying out a program operation, said drive means comprising a driven gear attached to one end of said drum between said drum and said wall portion, a motor mounted on said support means, a drive pinion rotated by said motor, and an idler coupled between said drive pinion and driven gear, said idler being supported on said wall portion.

Claim 12

A program control apparatus comprising a support having a wall portion, an opening in said wall portion, a rotatable programming drum having axial opening means defined therethrough and having cam means supported on its surface, a support shaft adapted to extend through said axial opening means rotatably to support said drum, said shaft having an end portion engageable with said opening to provide a single point support for said shaft for mounting said drum in a location projecting from said wall portion, drive means mounted on said support for rotating said drum, and control means mounted on said support and engageable with said cam means for carrying out a program operation, said drive means comprising a driven gear attached to one end of said drum between said drum and said wall portion, a motor mounted on said support means, a drive pinion rotated by said motor, and an idler coupled between said drive pinion and driven gear, said idler being supported on said wall portion.

Claim 13

A cam ring adapted to be mounted in stacked relation with similar cam rings on a rotatable cylindrical surface to perform a programming function, said cam ring comprising: a unitary generally annular body including a base and a flange, the base having an axial length in excess of its radial thickness so as to have a collarlike shape, and said flange having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the base and extending radially outwardly of the base conveniently to be cut away in part to form a peripheral cam surface, said flange initially being continuous and having a uniform cross section readily cut away at any region and for any desired length.

Claim 14

A cam ring adapted to be mounted in stacked relation with similar cam rings on a rotatable cylindrical surface to perform a programming function, said cam ring comprising: a unitary generally annular body including a base and a flange, the base having an axial length in excess of its radial thickness so as to have a collarlike shape, and said flange having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the base and extending radially outwardly of the base conveniently to be cut away in part to form a peripheral cam surface, said flange initially being continuous and having a uniform cross section readily cut away at any region and for any desired length.

Claim 15

A cam ring adapted to be mounted in stacked relation with similar cam rings on a rotatable cylindrical surface to perform a programming function, said cam ring comprising: a unitary generally annular body including a base and a flange, the base having an axial length in excess of its radial thickness so as to have a collarlike shape, and said flange having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the base and extending radially outwardly of the base conveniently to be cut away in part to form a peripheral cam surface, and regularly spaced indicia arranged along said flange and along the periphery of said base to facilitate preparation of said peripheral cam surface.

Claim 16

A cam ring adapted to be mounted in stacked relation with similar cam rings on a rotatable cylindrical surface to perform a programming function, said cam ring comprising: a unitary generally annular body including a base and a flange, the base having an axial length in excess of its radial thickness so as to have a collarlike shape, and said flange having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the base and extending radially outwardly of the base conveniently to be cut away in part to form a peripheral cam surface, and regularly spaced indicia arranged along said flange and along the periphery of said base to facilitate preparation of said peripheral cam surface.